Box-fastener.



lIIITIINTBD FEB. a, i903.

C. B. BALDWIN.

BOX PASTENBR.

APPLICATION FILED JUNI: s, 1900. I

N0 MODEL.

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Urrnn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES B. BALDWIN, OF BROOKLYN, NEW' YORK.

BOX-FASTEN ER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 719,553, dated February 3, 1903.

Application filed .Tune 8,1900. Serial No. 19,595. (No model.)

To ctZfZ whom t may concern: l

Be it known that I, CHARLES B. BALDWIN` a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the borough of Brooklyn, in the city of New York, Kings count-y, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Box-Fasteners, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part thereof.

This invention relates to improvements in the means for fastening the lids or covers of boxes or similar receptacles in their closed position, and has particular reference to that class of boxes formed of cardboard or similar material, although not limited in its application thereto.

lWIost of the fasteners now in use on boxes of the character referred to consist of a device of some form which presents a projection on the outer surface of the box. These projections interfere with the close packing together of the boxes for shipping and are particularly objectionable when the box is used for mailing purposes in that the other mail-matter is liable to become caught and damagedbythesame. Inviewofsuchfactsit has been the object of my present invention` to provide an improved fastener of cheap and simple construction by which the objectionable features above referred to will be avoided. This object I secure by the practice of my invention, as hereinafter set forth in detail, and pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure lis a front elevation of a box embodying myinvention with the lid in its closed position; Fig. 2, a perspective view of the same with the lid raised; Fig. 3, an enlarged sectional view of a portion of the box through line 3 3 of Fig. l; Fig. et, an enlarged sectional view, similar to that of Fig. 3, showing the lid in a partially-open position; and Fig. 5, a detail sectional View illustrating a modified form of construction to be hereinafter referred to in detail.

In said drawings, l indicates the body of a box, and 2 its movable lid or cover, the said body l in the present instance shown being formed with two walls 3 3' at its front side, which provide a recess or pocket 4 therebetween for receiving an extension or flap-piece 5 of the lid 2 when the latter is in its closed position.

In yaccordance with my invention the front wall 3 of the box is formed with an opening 7 therein, and the fiap-piece 5 of the lid 2 is provided with a raised .projection or button 6 thereon, which is adapted to be received into the said opening 7 when the lid is closed and act against the edge wall thereof to hold and fasten the lid in its closed position. The buttonisprefertllladepf the Sam ethfltness as thefmntwall Ofh@ bOX, so's to present a surface iush therewith, and the same is movably retained in its holding position within the opening 7 by means of the innerfront wall 3', which acts as a spring back against the rear side of the flap-piece 5. This construction provides a cheap and simple fastening means which is desirable and eective for boxes of various kinds, and particularly so for boxes intended for mailing purposes on account of the smooth and unobstructed exterior surface of the box and for the further and important reason that any exterior pressure upon the front wall 3 of the box forcing the same toward the adjacent inner wall 3 only acts to more securely hold the button 6 Within the opening 7, as will be obvious.

In the manipulation of the box when the lid is to be closed the flap-piece 5 is entered into the pocket between the walls 3 3 and forced therein by pressure upon the top of the lid until the button 6 reaches a position opposite the opening 7, into which latter it will be caused to move or spring by the pressure of the inner wall 3' bearing against the rear side of the flap-piece 5. To open the lid, the user presses against the button 6 to force the same backward and out of the opening 7 and then gives the same an upward or ont- Ward movement to partially open the lid, in a manner as clearlyindicated in Fig. 4, after which the lid may be grasped at its edges and fully opened, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 4.

The box, as herein illustrated, is formed of cardboard and made up from a blank which is properly out and scored to provide the desired construction of parts, as shown and described. It will be obvious, however, that my improved fastener construction may IOO be employed in connection with boxes or other receptacles made up from different materials and in different forms and also that the construction illustrated may be more or less materially modified without departure from the invention. For instance, referring to Fig. 5, I have shown the button (indicated at Sin this figure) located on the inner side of the outer front wall 3 and the opening? for receiving the same formed in the nap-piece 5. To open the lid of a box thus constructed, the user would draw the front Wall 3 outward by its upper edge to withdraw the button thereon from its holding position Within the opening, and in order that the flap piece might readily slip past the button when being inserted into the pocket 4 the inner side of the button is made tapering from its upper edge, as shown. Another and obvious modification of the construction illustrated is that a means of any suitable character for acting with a yielding pressure against the iiap-piece 5 to hold the button 6 thereon in lockingposition within the opening 7 might be employed in lieu of the inner wall-piece 3', as shown.

The raised projection or so-called button 6, as herein illustrated, is in the form of a circular disk, and the opening '7, which receives the same, is of a corresponding form; but it will be obvious that the shape of such button may be varied as desired and its receivingopening preferably made to correspond therewith, although it is not essential that the opening should be of the same form as the button, as any form suitable to receive the button and provide an edge or surface for its locking or holding engagement therewith would perform the necessary function.

I also Wish it to be understood that the term button as employed in the claims is intended to cover a projection or protuberance of any suitable character to secure a holding engagement with the edge wall of the open?,

ing which receives the same.

Having thus set forth my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A box or receptacle, comprising a body portion, and a movable lid provided with a Hap-piece, one ot' the walls of said body portion and the iiap-piece'of said lid being provided, one with an opening extending therethrough and the other with a button adapted to extend into holding position within said opening from one side and be operated from the opposite side to be moved from its said holding position Within the opening, and means for movably retaining the button in holding position within said opening.

2. A box or receptacle, comprising a body portion provided with a pocket at one side thereof, one ofthe walls of which is yielding, and a movable lid provided with an extension or flap-piece adapted to be inserted into the saidpocket, one of the wallsofrthelatter and thefiapfpiece of the lidbeingprovided, one with a button and the other Vwith an opening to receive said button, the said yielding wall operating to automatically move the button into holding position Within the said opening when brought to a position opposite the same.

3. A box or receptacle, comprising a body portion having a double wall at one side thereof, the front section of which is provided with an opening and the rear section of which is yielding, and a movable lid provided with a Hap-piece adapted to be inserted into the space between the sections of said wall and having a button thereon for projecting into the opening in the front wall sec.- tion, for the purpose set forth.

CHARLES B. BALDWIN.

Witnesses: y

OHAs. F. DANE, M. L. FoRREsT. 

